One Of Those Faces
by Gary Merchant
Summary: Taking advantage of a break from filming, an actor goes sightseeing in Swansea.


ONE OF THOSE FACES

It was rare to have a break from filming, so this day off was welcome. It was a dream job, and he had long been a fan of the show, so to be a part of it was fantastic. It was just the relentless grind that occasionally got him down, so a break from the routine was something to be glad of.

He now stood outside Oystermouth Castle in a part of Wales called Mumbles. The castle itself wasn't particularly grand, but that was part of its appeal. From the outside it appeared complete, but it was only when he walked though the main entrance that he could enjoy its dilapidated charm.

He made his way up toward the battlements and took in the glorious view. It was quite something. "Not bad, eh?" He turned to see the figure before him – someone who he was certain had not been standing there a moment ago. He shaded his eyes against the sun. "Um, yeah. First change I've had to visit this place."

"Well worth the trip though." The stranger stared out at the coastline. "Great view, and I just love old buildings." His enthusiasm was clear to see – like a boy who had never quite grown up. "So, what do you do then, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Er, no," the man replied. "I'm an actor. Mainly television."

"Oh right," the stranger nodded. "Don't get a lot of time to watch tv myself. Too busy travelling. But I was determined to take a break today, just to recharge the batteries."

The actor stepped away from the battlements. "I know what you mean. Everything's so hectic at the moment, that I don't get much time to myself. The weird thing is that I love the job, but I don't think I realised just how much it would take out of me."

The stranger regarded the actor with some curiosity. "So you've got a dream acting part, but you don't enjoy it?"

"Oh, I do," the actor was quick to reply. "I just wonder how long I can carry on with it before it gets too repetitive. You see, I've always been a jobbing actor, moving from one role to the next, but this one was different. Really special – the thing is, I took over from another guy who was playing the leading part, so I had a lot to live up to."

"A bit of extra weight on the old shoulders, eh?"

"I suppose so. Luckily, my co-star helped me to settle into the job, so I wasn't made to feel quite the new boy. And now she's decided to move on herself. I'll miss her," he confessed. "We became good mates."

The stranger breathed a heavy sigh. "Funnily enough, my companion went her own way not too long ago."

The actor looked at him. "Didn't she enjoy the travelling?"

"Ooh, far from it," he replied. "I suppose I'm like you, travelling from place to place, seeing new wonders and all that, and she embraced all of that, and more."

"So what happened?"

"It…" He tried to find the words. "Well, the decision was sort of forced on her. The good thing is she's back with her family, but I know I'll never see her again. Just one of those things, you know?"

There was a sympathetic smile from the actor. Despite having only just met, the two men seemed to have led similar lives. "So, what will you do now?"

"Oh, carry on as before," the stranger replied. "In fact, I've had someone else latch themselves onto me – a medical student, which is funny, given what I do."

The actor picked up on this. "Why, are you a doctor or something?"

"Only by name," he answered cryptically. "You ask a lot of questions, don't you?"

The actor was suddenly apologetic. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"Don't mention it," he said. "That sort of thing seems to happen to me all the time. So, what are you going to do?"

"Sorry?"

"About this job of yours. Will you stay with it, or give it the elbow?"

"Oh, I'll do another series, definitely," he said. "I'm working with a new co-star, and we get on fine. As for the future – well, we'll see." By now, the two men had made their way down to ground level, and in the shade, the actor saw the stranger properly for the first time. There was something about him that he couldn't place. "Excuse me, but have we met before?"

"Don't think so." The stranger shrugged. "Maybe I've just got one of those faces."

"Aye, maybe."

They strolled out into the morning sunshine, and the stranger unexpectedly took the actor's hand and shook it. "Great to meet you anyway – I'd always wondered what I looked like with a beard." And he walked on his way, his long overcoat billowing in the breeze.

The actor's hand went to his face, touching the two days' growth of stubble. He watched the stranger disappear around a hillock, and then heard something that sounded like an ancient engine starting up. "Wondered what he'd looked like with a beard…? Hey!"

He ran down the winding path to catch up with the stranger, the sound of the engine becoming louder with each footfall. It couldn't be, he reasoned. It just wasn't possible… He stopped short at the bottom of the path. No, he wasn't imagining it. Directly in front of him stood a Police Public Call Box. And it was gradually fading away, accompanied by the wheezing and groaning of a sound he now recognised from an old television series of his youth, and which he was now linked with.

He stood there, shaking his head in disbelief, before the ringing of his mobile phone brought him back to reality. "Hello? Oh hi, Russell. Um, yeah, I'll be back in tomorrow, no worries. Hmm? No, I'm fine. I've just been…" He paused for a second. "I've just been taking in the sights – and talking to an old friend."

The phone call ended, the actor turned back, looking up at Oystermouth Castle. Then he continued his trek down the winding path, still shaking his head in wonderment.

"Jings!"


End file.
